After a few years here, I'm leaving Lesco/JDL and going back out on the other side. Crazy Huh? What am I thinking :hammerhead::hammerhead::hammerhead:
It'll be tough but maybe I can get some good prices on Fertilizer at the competitor.
See Ya'll Out There!!!!:usflag:

Hissing Cobra

05-02-2008, 06:07 PM

Sorry to hear that you're leaving. What sparked you to make this decision? Were you in a Service Center and if so, were you the Manager or the Assistant Manager?

gregory

05-02-2008, 06:23 PM

good luck.....its hard to leave sometimes but it can be for the better........

fertguy2008

05-03-2008, 08:07 AM

Thanks for the kind words. I was in a service center in GA.
I got a Better offer for more money. I had been doing some side word (quite a bit actually) to make ends meet. I'm rolling my contracts into the existing company to form a partnership. They have 3 maint trucks, 2 install trucks, and a 45 acre chem route. Opportunity is knocking to grow.
We'll see how it goes.
Not to beat a dead horse on lawnsite but Lesco is just not Lesco anymore. Now JDL is pushing for the former Lesco guys to push direct ship nursery sales, irrigation, lighting and several other products. That isn't the worse thing in the world but they are doing so without properly training all the employees. I have no issue selling these other products because I used to work with them on the other side of the fence in the field. However, most of the former Lesco guys do not know what a Dwarf Burford Holly or a backflow preventer is.
The knowledgeable guys I always found at Lesco is one of the main reasons I was a Lesco customer, even if I had to pay a little more for the product. That is also why I came to work at Lesco, to help educate customer's and find solutions to their needs.
No hard feelings from me though I hope the new business model works for Lesco/JDL. Its been a great place to work and build several relationships.:)

Hissing Cobra

05-03-2008, 09:41 AM

Well, good luck with what you're going to do. I agree that there's changes being made (I work there as well) and some of them make me go :dizzy:. However, I like what I'm doing and will try to adjust to make sure that I'm successful there.

You're right about the shrubs, Irrigation products and Lighting products. Everyday, we're getting this stuff in and we have no room to display or even store it. Our store is bulging at the seams. We've cleaned out a couple of sections and have what we can on display but we've just gotten more in stock and we're wondering where we can put it.

I've been through a buyout before with a big corporate company (Scotts) so I'm a bit leery about this buyout but I'm keeping my chin up and also keeping an open mind. I'm going to see how things play out for me.

bug-guy

05-03-2008, 10:05 AM

fertguy 2008

good luck, keep in touch on this site.

joe(bug-guy)
770
brooksville, fl.

fertguy2008

05-03-2008, 10:24 AM

Thanks
Definately a lawnsiter for life

Good luck hissing cobra
I know the merge will pan out.
If it were not for the $$$ i would stay

Ric

05-03-2008, 12:33 PM

Thanks
Definately a lawnsiter for life

Good luck hissing cobra
I know the merge will pan out.
If it were not for the $$$ i would stay

Fertguy

look at the bright side. Lesco doesn't pay real good, but the years you worked there gave you a lot of experience with chemicals. You know what everyone is using and who does the best work. With some common sense and some salesmanship, you should do fine.

In Edit: Network with the mowing guys you have dealed with over the years. Let them all know you are now in business to help them with any problem. If you get lucky you will hook up with a few who realize Networking with you is good business for both you and them.

turf hokie

05-03-2008, 03:09 PM

Fertguy

look at the bright side. Lesco doesn't pay real good, but the years you worked there gave you a lot of experience with chemicals. You know what everyone is using and who does the best work. With some common sense and some salesmanship, you should do fine.

In Edit: Network with the mowing guys you have dealed with over the years. Let them all know you are now in business to help them with any problem. If you get lucky you will hook up with a few who realize Networking with you is good business for both you and them.

Precisely how I started my business as a former Lesco guy myself.

Ric

05-03-2008, 08:39 PM

Precisely how I started my business as a former Lesco guy myself.

Turf

I sold out, then two years later started all over again part time as a retirement gig. I took me a while to find the real businessmen in the mowing business to network with. Most yard boys aren't smart enough to realize what I could do for their business and they mine. They think they can do it all or I would steal their accounts. "Do what you do best and leave the rest." Look at the Posts asking how do I lay sod and how much to charge?? They would be better off networking with a sod company that would send them back mowing jobs that they are set up to make money doing.